Reviewer Conny Withay:Operating her own business
in office management since 1991, Conny is an avid reader, volunteers
reading the Bible to the elderly, and makes handmade jewelry. A cum
laude graduate with a degree in art living in the Pacific Northwest,
she is married with two sons, two daughter-in-laws, and one
granddaughter.

“If you were me and
lived in France, your home would be here in Western Europe. You might
live in the capital, Paris,” Carole P. Roman writes in her
children’s story, If You Were Me and Lived In … France – A
Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World.

Part of the worldwide
series, this twenty-six page paperback book targets preschool to
early elementary school aged children and readers who like to learn
words from other countries. With no profanity, scary scenes, or
violence, the book would best be read to beginner readers based on
some of the more complicated, lengthy words. Easy to decipher and
simplistic illustrations usually cover one side of the page with a
nicely sized font wording on the opposite side. There is a page at
the end of the book on how to pronounce certain words.

France is an interesting
place if you live there. The reader learns Paris was the first city
in Europe to use gas lamps to light streets, giving it the nickname,
“City of Light.”

One unique place to visit
in France is the Eiffel Tower, which is made of iron and was built by
Gustave Eiffel in 1889.

A well-known food item
enjoyed is the crepe that can be filled with vegetables, meats,
cheeses, fruits, or chocolate spreads.

There are many different
activities in the country such as soccer, tea parties, and
participating in their favorite holiday on July fourteenth, which is
French National Day or Bastille Day.

The reader learns foreign
words such as euros for money, boulangerie for bakery, poupee for
doll, and ecole for school (French accent marks are included in the
book, not in this review). Also taught are common names for boys and
girls along with what to call parents.

Not written as a fictional
story, this educational book is a simple way for a young child to
learn about a foreign land, especially if he or she knows someone is
living there or planning a trip to visit.

With so many countries
around the world, one looks forward to future books in the series to
learn more about a specific location.

Thanks to Red Feather
Publishing for furnishing this book in exchange for a review based on
the reader’s honest opinion.